Bishop's Opening, Berlin Defence & Kitchener Folly
Bishop’s Opening
Definition
The Bishop’s Opening is a King’s-Pawn opening that arises after the moves 1. e4 e5 2. Bc4. By immediately developing the king’s-bishop to the a2–g8 diagonal, White targets the vulnerable f7-square and steers the game away from the heavily analysed Ruy Lopez and Italian Game positions.
Main Move-Orders & Typical Continuations
- 2…Nf6 (Berlin Defence to the Bishop’s Opening) → 3.d3 c6 4.Nf3 d5, often transposing into a quiet Italian-Game structure.
- 2…Bc5 (Classical Variation) → 3.c3 Nf6 4.d4 exd4 5.cxd4 Bb4+ leading to dynamic central play.
- 2…Nc6 (Philidor Counter-attack idea) → 3.Qf3 Nf6 4.Ne2 Bc5, one of several ways to keep the game in pure Bishop’s-Opening territory.
Strategic Themes
- Pressure on f7. The early bishop eyes f7, often supported by a queen jump to h5, f3 or g4.
- Flexible centre. White usually defers d2–d4 until the right moment, allowing piece-play before the pawn structure is clarified.
- Transpositional Weapon. Many lines transpose back into the Italian Game, Two Knights Defence, or even the Vienna Game once White plays Nf3 or Nc3.
Historical Notes
The opening was fashionable in the 19th century when direct attacks on f7 were the order of the day. Howard Staunton, Paul Morphy and Adolf Anderssen all used it. Its popularity waned with the rise of classical, centre-first theory but has enjoyed a mini-renaissance as a surprise weapon and in faster time-controls.
Illustrative Miniature
This Scholar-mate pattern shows both the lure and the danger of the opening: White can win instantly if Black is careless, but an alert opponent will punish premature queen raids (see “Kitchener Folly” below).
Interesting Facts
- Grandmaster Baadur Jobava occasionally employs the Bishop’s Opening to sidestep mainstream theory and reach unbalanced positions.
- The opening is only two moves long, yet it can morph into at least four major openings, making it a favourite of repertoire authors who like “move-order tricks”.
Berlin (Berlin Defence / “Berlin Wall”)
Definition
“The Berlin” refers to the Berlin Defence to the Ruy Lopez, beginning 1. e4 e5 2. Nf3 Nc6 3. Bb5 Nf6. It is renowned for its rock-solid reputation at the highest levels, particularly the end-game-heavy variation nicknamed the “Berlin Wall”.
Key Branches
- Open Berlin End-Game: 4. 0-0 Nxe4 5.d4 Nd6 6.Bxc6 dxc6 7.dxe5 Nf5 8.Qxd8+ Kxd8. With queens exchanged, Black enjoys the bishop-pair and a compact structure; White hopes to exploit the slightly awkward king.
- Berlin Deferred: 4.d3 (or 4.0-0 d6) keeps queens on the board, leading to manoeuvring middlegames.
- Anti-Berlin Lines: 4.Bxc6, 4.Nc3, or early d2–d4 attempts designed to dodge the main end-game.
Strategic & Historical Significance
- World Championship Fame. Vladimir Kramnik adopted the Berlin as his main defence versus Garry Kasparov in the 2000 World Championship in London. Kasparov, unable to break the “Wall”, failed to win a single classical game with White and lost the title.
- End-game Masterpiece. The forced queen exchange funnels play into a precise, often bishop-pair end-game valued by top grandmasters for its drawish yet fighting character.
- Modern Mainstay. After 2000, the Berlin became a top-level staple. Players as diverse as Magnus Carlsen, Fabiano Caruana, and Sergey Karjakin keep it in their repertoires.
Example: Kasparov – Kramnik, WCh 2000 (Game 6)
Kramnik steered the game into a textbook Berlin end-game and comfortably held the draw, reinforcing the line’s reputation as nearly unbreakable.
Interesting Anecdotes
- The end-game queenless position is so theoretically dense that some elite events have seen the identical sequence played out multiple times in a single tournament before diverging on move 20 or later.
- Because the Berlin often leads to dry positions, some spectators jokingly call it the “Berlin Wall of Sleep”. Yet computer evaluation frequently hovers around 0.00—evidence of its soundness.
Kitchener Folly
Definition
The Kitchener Folly is an unsound mating attempt in the Bishop’s Opening characterized by an over-optimistic queen sacrifice on f7. The typical move-order runs:
1. e4 e5 2. Bc4 Nc6 3. Qh5?! Nf6 4. Qxf7+?! — the so-called “Kitchener Folly.”
White imagines a swift mate after 4…#?? but, against correct defence, the queen grab backfires and Black emerges with a huge material and positional advantage.
Origins & Name
The line is credited to amateur play in the early 20th century at the Kitchener Chess Club (Ontario, Canada). Local lore says a brash junior repeatedly sprung the queen-sack “combination” in skittles, only to discover it was refuted once the seniors looked at it for ten minutes. The term “Folly” stuck, warning students that not every sacrifice on f7 is sound.
Refutation Line
After the calm 4…Qe7! 5.Qxe7+ Bxe7, Black has “only” lost the right to castle, while White has given up a queen and achieved nothing tangible. Engines already give Black a winning evaluation (≈ –4).
Pedagogical Value
- Punishes premature attacks. Teaches beginners to develop pieces before launching heavy artillery.
- Highlights importance of forcing moves. Black’s in-between move (intermezzo) 4…Qe7! is stronger than the seemingly natural 4…Ke7?!.
- Demonstrates comparative advantage. A queen is usually worth more than a pawn and an exposed king.
Practical Advice
- If you are White, avoid the queen lunge unless you have concrete follow-up (often you don’t!).
- If you are Black, remember the cold-blooded 4…Qe7! and enjoy the extra queen.
Interesting Facts
- Some databases still list Kitchener Folly games because casual players can’t resist “trying one more time.” Consequently, it remains a popular puzzle in beginner classes labelled “Find the Refutation.”
- Compared to other romantic traps (e.g., the Fried Liver Attack), Kitchener Folly is uniquely one-sided—only Black can be happy if the main line occurs.